Window-cleaning apparatus



Jul 29, 1930. 0. E. CAMPBELL ,5

WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 1 YINVENTOR. 0 0% a aw W2 49, .l a? M ATTORNZ luljrrzg 1930; D. E. CAMPBELL WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Qjriginal Filed Sept. 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY I N VEN TOR.

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Patented July 29, 1930 oNiTE sra'ras DORA ELIZABETH CAMPBELL, on PATERSON, NEW JERSEY wInnow-oLEAnnve Arrnnn'rus Application filed September 27 1926, Serial No. 137,355. Renewed March 29, 1929.

' This-invention relates to window cleaning apparatus and more particularly to window cleaning apparatus with which the operator works within the room.

The principal object of the invention is to provide animproved apparatus of this class in which the parts are few and simple, and with which windows can be safely cleaned from within the room with storm sash or full length outside screen in place if described.

Another object is to provide a window cleaning apparatus of this class which can be economically manufacturedand which will take up butlittlespace when stored away. A further object is to provide a member that is adapted tohold inexpensive and readily ap-.

plied cleaning and drying'elements so that they can be moved between two Window sashes close together. Still another object is to provide means to move said holding member in such position. Another object is to provide improved means for use on the edge portions of window sashes for assisting in the manipulation of the holding member andcleaning element. And'a further object V is to provide a neat, compact and efiicient apparatus of the class described. a p The means I prefer to employ for accomplishing the above-named objects, together with other advantageous features of my improved window cleaning apparatus not hereinbefore mentioned but which will appear as the description progresses, are illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a window showing my improved cleaning apparatus in an operating position.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same taken 40 from within the room. H Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a window with my cleaning apparatus in another operatin'g position.

Fig. dis a rear elevation of the member for holding the cleaning element of my apparatus, together with the operating band and I omitting the cleaning element.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same omit ting the operating band.

Fig. dis a longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan of acleaning element for use with my apparatus.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 9 isa perspective view of one ofthe carrier members for use with my apparatus. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of another form of carrier member, and

Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the above two forms of carrier member united for joint use. 1 V

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the numeral 2 indicates amember adapted to be moved up and down for window cleaning purposes between two slidable window sashes such as the lower or inner sash 3 and the upper or outer sash 4: of Fig.3 or between a slidable sash4 and a fixed outer sash or member such as the storm sash 5 of Fig. 1 or a full length screen which would occupysubstantially the same position.

The movable member may be of anysuitr able form but the form which I prefer toemploy embodies an outer portion such as 7 and one or more inner portions such as'8,*j oined to said outerportion 7 in any suitable way as by end portions such as 9. A space such as2 is preferably formed between thetwoportions 7 and 8, the purpose of which willmore fully appear hereinafter. Preferably. the portions 7, 8 was are of sheet metal of suit able thickness and integral, being preferably formed from a single sheet of said metal.

" As hereinbefore-mentioned, the said memable'way but preferably I provide perfora- 'tions or slots suchas 12 in the outer portion 7,1'of said member Q a nd the 1n'e1nberx11 is 1 passed fthroughsaid perforationsf as illus was. in Figs: 1,2, 3 and 4. 1

It is necessary to attach the saidrnember 11 ber 2 is aclapted'for-movementup and down, 1

firmly to the member 2 and any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. Preferably I effect this by providing serrations or teeth such as 13 on one or more of the edges of the perforations or holding slots 12, which teeth are caused to enter slightly into the material of the member 11 and are thus effective for holding said member firmly secured to the portion 7 The member 11 is formed of any suitable'material and may be of any suitable length, and in practice I ordinarily form it of fabric of suitable firmness and about eight feet in length but the length can be varied to suit conditions. Ordinarily it extends from the member 2 in two portions of substantially equal length. Preferably I provide attachments such as 16, which is a wire loop, and 17, which is a member to engage with the member 16, said members being firmly secured to the end portions of the member 11, serve as means to connect them together when desired. Each of the end portions of the member 11 is provided with a small weight such as 18 secured to it in any suitable manner as by doubling the material and sewing the edges around the weight. The

purpose of said weights is in assisting in placing the member 11 in position between the outer and inner window sashes together with the member 2, one of the weighted end por tions being first lowered between said sashes. Also in placing the members 11 and 2 between the sash 4: and storm sash 5 as illustrated in Fig. 1. r

Any suitable form of cleaning element may be used with my improved apparatus, but.

preferably I employ cleaning elements formed of muslin cloth in several thicknesses as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 where 19 denotes the cleaning element and 19 indicates a narrow space into which the portions 8 of the member 2 can be pushed for placing it on said member. i

For assisting in and guiding the movements of the member 11, I have provided members which I term carrier members. and in Fig. 9 I have illustrated one form of such carrier member which is indicated by 21 and is adapted to be placed on the bar 22 of the sash 3. Thesaid member 21 is preferably formed with a rounded portion such as 23 over which the member 11 can freely slide. I also provide guiding portions such as the side flanges 24- so that the member 11 will not slip offthe portion 23 when being moved to and fro lOVGl' the same. Any suitable means may be provided to hold the said member 21 on'thewindow sash bu't pr'eferably I employ one "or more depending portions such as the portions 25, of which in the form illustrated Fig.9 there are two, one for each side of the bar of the window sash. In the formillustrated there is a slot such as 26 substantially hori- A 'zontal when in useand is formedbetween the portion 23 and a metal plate such as 27 for a purpose which will presently be described.

In Fig. 10, I have illustrated another form of carrier member which is indicated by 29,

and has a rounded portion 23, side flanges 24 and one depending portion 25 to engage a bar of a window sash. On the opposite side to the depending portion 25 opposite the upper part thereof is asubstantialiy horizontal portion such as 80 which projects outwardly from the base of the rounded portion 23 and which portion I ordinarily term the projecting portion. It is adapted to be inserted in the slot 26 of the carrier member 21 so that the two mem ers can be oined together as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11. This arrangement provides for guiding the member ll when cleaning the outside of an upper window sash as illustrated in Fig. 1. V v

In practice I providethe members 21 in several sizes so as to fit windows of different thicknesses of top bars and thus provide an outfit, whereby all sizes of windows in ordinary use can be readily cleaned with my in vention.

The operation of cleaning a window with my improved apparatus is as' follows:

For cleaning the upper sash 4 of a window, the carrier member 29 is first connected to the carrier member 21 by placing its proiecting'portionSO in the slot 26 as illustrated in Fig. 11, and the two members thus connected are then placed so that they rest respectively-on the upper edge portions of'the sashes 1 and 3, which must be brought into substantial alinementwitheach other by lowering the upper sash and raising the lower sash.

The flexible member ll must now be attached to the member 2 and the cleaning cloth or element 19' must be in place thereon, a portion of it being in the space 2 provided therefor and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. One of the end portions of the member 11 is now let down between the upper sash 1 and the storm sash 5 or screen if the latter is in place, being assisted by the weight 18 in said end portion, and with itis lowered the member 2 and cleaning element or cloth 19 thereon until the inner face of the cloth 19 is adjacent the pane 3 1 of the'upper sash. The upper portion of the member 11 s now placed over the rounded portions 23, 23, of the two carrier members 21 and 29 and between the flanges 24. The upper and lower portions of the member 11 are now pulled alternately by the hands, and the memer 2 andcleaning cloth 19 are moved up and down across the pane with 19 in contact therewith until the glass .is suiliciently cleaned.

.Drying of the pane'may be effected by another member 2, cloth 19, and member 11 attached. 'The carrier members are moved lat ill at any time during constituting laterally shiftable means to lar to that just described except that'the member 29 is removed from the member 21 and from the sash 4. The latter sash is then lowcred a few inches as shown in Fig. 3, and the lower portion of the member 11 is lowered between the sashes 3 and 4 with the member 2 and cloth 19 following until the latter is in contact with the pane 36 of the sash 3. The

upper part'of the member 11 is carried around the carrier member 21 with the latter on the upper bar 22 of the sash 8. The members 2 and 11 are now manipulated as in the cleaning of the sash 4.

In some instances the carrier members 21 and 29 may be formed in two or more parts, one of which may include the rounded portions 23 which may be of wood or other suitable material, and another part may be of sheet metal and include the portions 2%, 25 and 27 or 30 according to the type of carrier. The part having the rounded portions 23 may be secured to the flanges 24 by suitable means such as small nails 38. 7

From the foregoing it will be apparent that with my apparatus the out-sides of the panes of substantially all types of sliding windows including both very high and very low windows, can be completely cleaned and dried with entire safety to the operator. 7 Also the operator does'not work in a cramped position the cleaning and drying operations.

It is evident that the different parts of the apparatus may be modified or changed in various ways and anysuitable forms of parts may be employed without departing from the principle of the invention, and I do not therefore confine myself to the details of construction here shown.

What I claim is 1. A window cleaning apparatus embodying a member of sheet metal having its ends folded upon itself to provide flaps spaced 1 from the body to support a wiper pad said UK c member being adapted to be moved in the space between the outer and inner sashes of a window, a flexible member of suitable length adapted to be secured to the flrst-mentloned member for moving the same, and means adapted to be held by the window for guiding the flexible member.

2. A window cleaning apparatus embodying a member adapted tosupport a cleaning element, having a portion provided with spaced toothed perforations, and adapted to be moved between the outer and inner sashes of a' window, a flexible member passing through said perforations; and-meansadapted to be held on the edge portion of a window sash for guiding said flexible member and said flanges.

over which the same can be pulled for moving the first-mentioned member. 1

3. A window cleaning apparatus embody: ing a member provided with an outer portion having spaced toothed perforations, an'inner portion adapted to support a cleaning ele ment, and a space between said portions. in which a part of said cleaning element can lie, said member being adapted to be moved in the space between the outer and inner sashes of a ,window, a flexiblemember of suitable length passing through said perforations and means adapted to be secured on and movable later ally along an edge portionv of a window sash for guiding said flexible. member and over which. it can be pulled for moving said firstmentioned member.

o a. A window cleaning apparatus embodyingqa sheet metal member provided with a single ply outer portion having spaced toothed holding slots, and two single ply inner portions on which a cleaning element can be held and having a space between them for assisting in the placing of, the cleaning element, a cleaning element adapted to be held by said portions, a carrier member adapted to be held on an edge portion of a window sash, and a flexible band passing through said slots and adapted to be'pulled around and guided by the carrier member when moving the first-mentioned member up and downqon pulling the end portionsalten nately.

5. The combination with a window cleanin apparatus embodying a member movable up and down along a window sash and adapted for carrying a cleaning element, and a flexible member for moving the first-mentioned member, of. a member adapted for attachment to a windowsash and movable laterally along the same, which member includes a rounded portion over which the flexible membercan be pulled, two flanges one on each side of the rounded portion to limit the lateral'movement of theflexible'member, and a lower depending portion to engage the win- 7 dow sash which portion is at right angles to 6. The combination with a window cleaning apparatus embodying "a member movable up and downalong a window sash and adapted for carrying a cleaning element, and a flexible member for moving the same; of a carrier member. provided with a rounded porsaid carrier members being adapted to be held respectively on the-upper edge portions of thenpper and lowersashes of a window, and over the rounded portions of SfiJClCfllIlBI' members the flexible member ,can be pulled for moving theifirsnmeiitioned member. 7

7. The combination with a window cleaning apparatus embodying a member movable up and down and adapted for holding a cl aning element, and a flexible member for" ing said part to the other part of said two part member and said member having a portion over which the flexible member can be pulled and portions to limit the lateral movement of the same.

8. A window cleaning apparatus embodying a member having an outer wall and inner upright walls with a space between them extending therethrough from top to bottom, said inner walls being adapted to support a cleaning element and having a space between them for the insertion of the same, a flexible member adapted to be secured to the firstmentioned member for moving thesame, and means adapted to be held on the edge portion of a window sash for guiding the flexible member.

9 A window cleaning apparatus embodying an Operating band, a cleaning pad holder provided with sheet metal front and rear uprightwalls spaced apart from each other a distance less than that between the glass 7 of the lower sash and the frame of the upper all) sash and a fixed element at each side connecting said front and rear walls, said holder being adapted for holding a cleaning element,

cleaning apparatus embodying a sheet metal blank folded upon itself into a rectangular cross section having front and rear upright sheet metal walls and end portions connecting said walls, the rear wall overlapping the front wall at top and bottom and carrying means extending to said overlapping parts the rear of said walls embodying means for securing said band to said holder, and means adapted to be placed on the top edge of a sash for guiding said band.

10. A window cleaning apparatus embodying an operating band, a cleaning pad holder having sheet metal front and rear walls, sheet metal end portion for connecting said front and rear walls and means to secure said band to said holder, there being a space between and surrounded by said walls and end portions and extending through said holder,

said holder being adapted for carrying a cleaning element, and also being adapted to pass between the upper and lower sashes of a window when said sashes are opposite, and 'meansto be placed on the top of a sash for guiding said band,

11. The combination with'a'window cleaning the same o'fa two partmem'ber, said parts being attached respectively to the two sashes a of a window, said member having means whereby said parts are movably joined to each other, a portion over which the flexible member can be pulled, and portions to limit the lateral movement of the same.

-12.,A cleaning pad holder for a window 

